JNUSU prez Kanhaiya camouflaged in anti-riot gear to dodge lawyers

To transport JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar safely out of the Patiala House courts where he was assaulted by lawyers on February 17, the police disguised him in battle fatigues, a bullet-proof jacket and a helmet that made him look like a member of the anti-riot cell.

The same afternoon, Kanhaiya had been assaulted by lawyers amid huge police deployment when he was being escorted to the courtroom . After the assault, Kanhaiya was produced in court where he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody.

The February 17 assault happened despite police’s assurance to the higher courts that Kanhaiya’s safety would not be compromised. The police had assured that the February 15 incident wherein journalists, JNU students, and teachers were beaten up by a group of lawyers, would not be repeated.

The decision to dress Kanhaiya as a police personnel was taken after they learnt that at least 200 lawyers had assembled near the courtroom and at the exit gates to stop them from escorting him out of the court premises.

The second round of trouble began around 5 pm when the lawyers slogans that they would handle Kanhaiya in their own way.

An emergency meeting was called at the police headquarters. Senior officers agreed to disguise Kanhaiya as an officer of the anti-riot cell and mix him with other policemen dressed in similar gear.

Several sets of anti-riot gears were brought to the courtroom. Kanhaiya was convinced to put on the uniform along with a police helmet with face cover and a baton. 50 policemen dressed in a similar way gear to confuse the lawyers.

Kanhaiya left the premises unhurt with the policemen as the lawyers could not identify him. The roads connecting C-Hexagon of India Gate were shut when police took Kanhaiya out of Patiala House court to Tihar jail. The arrangements were in place till around 8.30 pm when Kahnaiya reached Tihar Jail. JNUSU prez Kanhaiya camouflaged in anti-riot gear to dodge lawyers.

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Journalists and teachers join JNU protests, govt tries to douse fire

The government said it was willing to discuss in Parliament a police crackdown against a controversial meeting of Jawaharlal Nehru University students, but protests continued on Tuesday in a row that has also seen attack on journalists and teachers by right wing activists.

“The government is ready to walk the extra mile to ensure discussion in Parliament on all issues raised by the opposition,” said parliamentary affairs minister M Venkaiah Naidu after an all-party meeting ahead of the Budget session, during which opposition parties raised a host of issues including the protests at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Groups of students, journalists and teachers gathered for protests in Delhi on Tuesday after they were allegedly assaulted on Monday evening outside the Patiala House court hearing a sedition case against a JNU student.

Hundreds of JNU teachers went on strike to protest the arrest of Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNU Students’ Union president who was remanded in custody at a Monday hearing, which was marked by violent scuffles outside the court where fellow students and journalists had gathered to witness his appearance.

Journalists marched till Supreme Court to protest the attacks on them outside the Patiala House Court. They shouted slogans in support of freedom of expression and alleged the Delhi Police had failed to protect them on Monday. A delegation of journalists also met home minister Rajnath Singh.

The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Wednesday plea seeking action against those involved in the violence at Patiala House.

At JNU, teachers joined students in boycotting classes to press for Kumar’s release.

‘Kick them out’: HT journalist recounts mob attack in a Delhi court

“The teachers went on strike today. Some 500 teachers have gathered near the university’s administrative block with banners to show their solidarity with the students,” said Om Prasad of the All India Students Association (AISA).

“They are demanding the immediate release of Kanhaiya and withdrawal of all the cases,” he told AFP.

Academics at foreign universities extended support. “As teachers, students, and scholars across the world, we are watching with extreme concern the situation unfolding at JNU and refuse to remain silent as our colleagues (students, staff, and faculty) resist the illegal detention and autocratic suspension of students,” said a statement posted on a blog run by academics and signed by 455 scholars, many of them JNU alumni of Indian descent.

Outside the university, scores of people demanded the demanded the arrest of those who shouted anti-India slogans at an event on the campus last week. The protestors--said to belong to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal--also demanded the shutdown of what they said was “anti-national” administration of the varsity.

Carrying saffron flags and shouting slogans like ‘JNU prashasan bandh karo (Shut down JNU administration)’, the protestors said those who raised anti-India slogans at an event organised on February 9 to commemorate the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru should be arrested.

“Arrest those ant-national elements,” shouted one of the protestors as he tried to break through a barricade at the university entrance.

“Our protest is in favour of the nation,” he told IANS.

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